Terminal for electric wires



March 18, 1930. o. H. BROWN TERMINAL FOR ELECTRIC WIRES Filed Dec. 16,1927 FIE-1 k INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED. STATES OLIVER H. IBROlllTll', OBDAVENPORT, IOWA TERMINAL FOR ELECTRIC WIRES Application flled December16, 1927. Serial no. amen.

, My invention relates to improvements in terminals for electric wires.The objects of my invention are: 1. To provide an improved clamp to con-6 nect the wires of an electric system to the binding posts of a batteryor other source of electric current;

2. To provide a wire terminal and clamp which will avoid the necessityof using iron 1 or brass bolts or nuts;

3. To provide a form of clamp which will reduce stretching to a minimumand eliminate or reduce the loosening of the clamp upon the bindingpost;

4. To provide a clamp with the smallest feasible number of parts andwhich can be readily die-cast.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my clamp showins the body broken away and insect1on;

Fi re 2 is a cross section of my clamp on the line 2-2 of Figure 1Figure 3 is an end view of my clamp w th the nut, 4, omitted and showingthe interlor of the clamp portion in dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a cross section of the nut, showing a flat topped form ofthread which 39 I prefer to use instead of the standard thread shown inFigure 1.

My clamp comprises a body, 3, of lead or a suitable alloy of lead,having an annular portion, 3, cast integral therewith. The outer end, 3,of the annular portion is provided with a tapered opening, 5. A post, 3,is cast integral with the body, 3, and projects outwardly through theopening, 5. The post, 3, 40 is provided with a thread, 3", and alocknut, 4, preferably of lead or other non-corrosive material, issecured upon the threaded end of the post, 3".

A space, 8, is normally left between the body, 3, and the outer end, 3,of the clamp, to allow movement of the outer end of the clamp to tightenit upon the binding post.

The opening, 7, in the annular portion of the clamp, has its walls, 6,tapered slightly to aid in' making a close fit upon the bindsired, thebody, 3, may

ing post of the battery and to assist in removing the clamp from thebinding post.

I prefer to form my connection by casting same in a die and when socast, a metal sleeve having its inner end tapered and its other endcorrespondin to the conformation of the nut, 4, is used an removed fromthe casting by unscrewing same, the action of the threads, 3, assistingto withdraw the sleeve.

The portions of the annular part, 3, adjacent the body, 3, and outerend, 3", are preferabl formed considerably heavier than the remainder ofthe annular portion so as to aid in preventing stretching and theannular portion generally may be made as heavy as necessary to preventstretching or it may be reinforced y embodying re-inforcing materialtherein when cast.

I prefer to connect the body of this terminal with the wires, 1, byinserting the ends of the wires, 1, somewhat spread apart, into the moldand casting the body, 3, around them. I have shown the ends of thewires, 1, projecting but a short distance into the body,

3, but if-desired, they may extend the full length of the body, 3, andthe post, 3, or may end at any desired point. The wires, 1, arepreferably coated with insulating matter, 2, which may be supplied tothe wires, 1-, either before or after the body 3, is cast. When debecast with an opening at the lower end and the Wires inserted andsoldered in the opening in accordance with the common present practice.

It is obvious that the form and 'propor- 5 tions of my device may bevaried to a con siderable extent without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

lit is obvious, also, that this form of clamp may be cast in brass orother suitable material and used for purposes other than batteryconnections. The body, 3, may be cast integral with or connected to abar or rod of brass or other material for uses entirely distinct fromelectrical andvbattery connections. It is one of the obviousadvantagesof my appliance when composed of lead or suitable alloy of lead, that itwill not corrode. it will thus avoid, to a large extent, theaccumulation of copper sulphate at the battery terminals to 0 which itis attached, which accumulation takes place readily where iron, brass orcopper parts are used. Thenut, 4, is prefer: ably made oflead or, one ofits non-corrosive alloys. ,In Figure 41 have shown a wide, flat- Itopped thread tapered slightly, in section j which I refer over thestandard thread shown in igure 1. It is obvious that this form of clampreduces to a minimum the number of parts and the number of joints in aterminal connection 7 and by so doing, reduces the number of. placeswhere the copper sulphate maybe deu posited or where corrosion may. takeplace. I do not limit my invention to the precise form shown inthe-drawings, for it is obvious that the slot or o ening between theends of the annular mem er may be in the position shown-in the drawingsor'it may be located opposite to the body portion to which thecurrent-carrying wires are connected or it may be located in line withthe axis of the connecting wires. I prefer, however, to use :5 theformshown in the drawings because of its ability to resist stretching ofthe thinner portions of the annular member, which stretching would takeplace more readily. when constructed in the-other forms referred 80 to.

Iclaim: 1-. A clamp comprising a body, a threaded post united thereto, asplit annular member. having one end united to the body and its oppositeend formed with a tapered opening adjacent and surrounding the post, theouter"- end of said tapered opening being the larger. 2. A clampcomprising a body, a threaded post united thereto, a split annularmember having one end united to the body and its opposite end formedwith a tapered o ening adjacent and surrounding the postkiang a nutthreaded upon the post the 'outer 'end of the tapered opening beingthe'larger, adjacent the opening bearing inwardly-against the end of theannular member. v, {I

In testimony whereof he sigma-

